Supporting device for spring strips



Sept. 21, 1965- H. A. VOGEL 3,207,499

SUPPORTING DEVICE FOR SPRING STRIPS Original Filed Dec. 22, 1960 INVENTOR.

Jazz w A FOR/V5145 United States Patent 3,207,499 SUPPORTING DEVICE FOR SPRING STRIPS Harold A. Vogel, Detroit, Mich., assignor, by mesne assignments, to American Metal Products Company, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Michigan Original application Dec. 22, 1960, Ser. No. 77,609, now Patent No. 3,088,132, dated May 7, 1963. Divided and this application Apr. 19, 1963, Ser. No. 280,479 4 Claims. (Cl. 267--112) This is a division of application Serial No. 77,609, filed December 22, 1960. This invention rel-ates to spring strip supporting elements and particularly to a coil spring supporting device for securing the end of a sinuous spring strip to a frame.

Various means have been employed heretofore for attaching the laterally extending end of a sinuously formed wire spring strip to a frame element of a cushion. Clips were provided which were nailed directly into the rail of the frame with the spring strip end pivotally secured within the eye portion of the clip. In another arrangement the spring ends were bent downwardly on the center line of the strip and were disposed in apertures extending downwardly into the top rail edge. In still another arrangement the end loop was bent upwardly on the center line of the strip and was hooked over a rod or into an eye in the top of the frame to anchor the end of the spring strip thereto.

The present invention pertains to the use of a U-shaped coil spring tightly wound on a small diameter having the end turns disposed on the center lines of the spring legs to form eyes. The eyes extend into apertures in the end of a clip attached to the top of the frame. The crossmember of the U-shaped coil spring receives the transverse end of the spring strip. The cross-member preferably has a soundproof layer of material thereon to prevent squeaks and suounds from being developed when the transverse end of the spring strip pivots therewithin. It is within the purview of the invention to construct an elongated spring and retain a length at the center when bending the two end portions outwardly thereof downwardly into parallel relation. The two eyes on the end of the end portions engage the apertures in a clip attached to the rail of the frame while the transverse end of the spring strip extends into the center section which is normal to the two parallel sections. It is Within the purview of the invention to employ a cylinder of paper, plastic or plastic coated paper within the central section of the coil spring or coat the central section to sound proof the inner surface thereof.

Accordingly, the main objects of the invention are: to provide a resilient support for the end of a sinuous spring strip; to provide a length of spiral spring having an eye at each end secured to a clip which is attached to a rail of a cushion frame and to the transverse end of the spring strip; to provide a length of spiral spring strip having an eye at each end with the end portions bent into parallel relationship leaving a small section in the center through which the transverse end of the spring strip extends, and, in general, to provide a resilient support for the end of a sinuous spring strip which is a simple in construction and economical of manufacture.

Other objects and features of novelty of the invention will be specifically pointed out or will become apparent when referring, for a better understanding of the invention, to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an isometric view of a frame structure 3,207,499 Patented Sept. 21, 1965 having a plurality of sinuous spring strips mounted thereon through spiral springs embodying features of the present invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged plan view of a portion of the structure illustrated in FIGURE 1, showing the connection between the end of the sinuous spring strip and the frame structure.

FIGURE 3 is an elevational view of a portion of the structure illustrated in FIGURE 1.

A sinuous spring strip 10, as illustrated in FIG. 1, is made of wire bent back and forth into sinuous form to provide oppositely disposed loops 11 and 12 joined by straight torsion bar sections 13. The end torsion bar section 14 has an end 15 offset to prevent the end section 14 from moving out of a receiving aperture or tunnel. A clip 71 is secured to the top edge of a rail 28 of a cushion frame by a pair of nails or the like 42. In any seat cushion construction it is usually difficult to obtain comfort when using the spring strips 10 if they are secured directly to the top of the rail 28. More softness is desired at the front and rear edges of the cushion and this is obtained through the use of the coil springs 65 which permit the end section 14 of the spring strip to move downwardly When the load is applied to the cushion.

Depending upon the load applied to the cushion, one or more of the coil springs are employed. As illustrated in FIGURES 2 and 3, a single length of coil spring 65 has parallel end sections 66 and 67 bent from a central section 68. The end eyes 69 are secured in apertures 26 in plate 71 which is secured to the top of the rail 28 by nails 42. The section 68 receives the end section 14 of the sinuous spring strip 10, and when found desirable a cylindrical or semicylindrical soundproofing element 72 may be inserted within the coils of the section in position to be engaged by the end section 14 to prevent any sound or squeaks from being produced when pivoting therein. Such element 72 may be formed of paper, plastic, plasticcoated paper, or the like. The same result will be obtained if a layer of plastic material is coated over all or at least the inside surface of the coil section.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cushion construction, the combination comprising:

a frame having spaced parallel elements;

a sinuous spring strip extending between said spaced frame elements and having an end loop spaced from one of said frame elements;

a coil spring having a pair of spaced sections extending toward said one frame element from a transverse section, said transverse sec-tion receiving said end loop of said sinuous spring, and said ends of said spaced sections having fastening means thereon;

and means cooperating with said fastening means on said spaced sections to secure said spaced sections of said coil spring to said one of said frame elements.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said fastening means on the ends of said spaced sections include eyes formed from said sections.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein said means cooperating with said fastening means includes a clip member having apertures therein for receiving said eyes, and means on said clip for securing said clip to said one frame element.

4. The combination set forth in claim 1 and further including sound proofing material disposed within said transverse section of said coil spring and between the 3 4 inner surface thereof and said and loop of said sinuous 2,133,747 10/38 Hunter 267112X spring strip. 2,297,753 10/42 Emery 26773 X 2,717,635 9/55 Stanton 5259 X References Cited by the Examiner FOREIGN PATENTS UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 211,276 11/40 Switzerland. 1,439,165 12/22 Hawks 267-73 2,028,493 1/ 36 Bernstein 267112 ARTHUR L. LA POINT, Primary Examiner. 

1. IN A CUSHION CONSTRUCTION, THE COMBINTION COMPRISING: A FRAME HAVING SPACED PARALLEL ELEMENTS; A SINUOUS SPRING STRIP EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SPACED FRAME ELEMENTS AND HAVING AN END LOOP SPACED FROM ONE OF SAID FRAME ELEMENTS; A COIL SPRING HAVING A PAIR OF SPACED SECTIONS EXTENDING TOWARD SAID ONE FRAME ELEMENT FROM A TRANSVERSE SECTION, SAID TRANSVERSE SECTION RECEIVING SAID END LOOP OF SAID SINUOUS SPRING, AND SAID ENDS OF SAID SPACED SECTIONS HAVING FASTENING MEANS THEREON; AND MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID FASTENING MEANS ON SAID SPACED SECTIONS TO SECURE SAID SPACED SECTIONS OF SAID COIL SPRING TO SAID ONE OF SAID FRAME ELEMENTS. 